Hawaii Weddings Essay Example for Free

Hawaii Weddings Essay Wedding Style in Hawaii Like most of the rest of the world weddings, in Hawaii symbolizes tradition and cultural elements in a colorful and beautiful place intended to bring fortune, luck and happiness to couples who are going to be for the rest of their lives together. Hawaiian brides, traditionally wear a Hawaiian dress called holoku. A holoku is a wedding dress with flowers and in her hair as well. Men usually wear a white shirt, white pants and a colorful sash. Casual foot wear is permitted, unless if the wedding is inside a house, footwear may be avoided. Another Hawaiian symbol for wedding eremony is the leis. Leis are a traditional flower garlands worn around the neck. Two main leis made of fragrant flowers and green leaves are especially made for the groom and bride. These main leis represent the peoples relationship with nature as a traditional aspect. The brides lei have white Jasmine and the grooms lei have Lima. Also, both the mother-in-laws wear especially made leis which have an abundance of jasmine. The weddings are announced by three blows ofa conch shell in a consecutive manner. This conch shell represents the summoning of God to support the ceremony. Fireworks also are part of the weddings symbolizing the pushing of evil away. The performance of dance called pandango is required, its also performed in many weddings and its often called the money dance, encircling the couples with a strong of taped money. Cultures around the world has affected Hawaiian weddings as well, as one of the influences is the wedding cake. Hawaiian wedding cakes are usually made of wheat flour, symbolizing the beginning of a new relationship together. This relationship is further strengthened by sharing the knife for cake cutting and presenting the first slice to each other.

Courage Worth Striving For Essay -- Personal Narrative War Strength Pa

Courage Worth Striving For Placing one foot in front of the other, I climbed the twisted, broken down staircase of the Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The year was 1973, and I didn't want to be on these stairs, growing closer and closer to an unknown world that frightened me. I didn't want to witness the things I inevitably would see and hear throughout the next few hours. Can I really handle this? I thought to myself. It didn't really matter anymore. As a medic in the Vietnam Era, and I had soldiers depending on me to tend to their wounds and care for their injuries. As I neared the top, I gained sight of a heavy, thick, white door with a window in the center of it. What was on the other side of that door? I knew there was pain, suffering, and dying. For a moment, I thought about the men who had managed to survive thus far and who were now lying in hospital beds severely injured and bedridden, completely dependent on the care that was given to them. These men had wives, children, and other family members wishing desperately they would recover from the wounds they had encountered in Vietnam and return to life as they knew it before the war. Some of these men would never return to life as they had known it previously, with the reality of amputation and other life-altering treatments taking place as a customary and common practice. I wondered if I was prepared for this. The self-inflicted weight on my shoulders grew progressively heavier step by step. Those same family members hoping their loved ones would live had me to put their trust in. Me. As a trained medic, I was confident that I had the head knowledge I needed to treat the soldiers that had been flown in from Vietnam, as long as I wasn't distra... ...ing this story did not cause me to become a pacifist and reject the concept of war completely. I realize how horrendous war is, especially after hearing about my father's patient in room twelve. However, I feel it is even more appalling to ignore situations that are worse than war, such as the situation in Germany that evoked World War II. It is my belief that soldiers who have seen war value peace more than any pacifist because they know the cost. I now view my own life differently. If that soldier could speak again, I would imagine his message would be to take each day not as a guarantee, but as a gift. After hearing my father's story, my advice is this- do not take life for granted. You never know when you will be forced to find a new depth of strength you never even imagined you possessed and surrender your life for your cause, your beliefs, or your country.

Coffee Industry Essay

From the discovery of small, brightly colored red berries on trees in Ethiopia came the largest imported commodity in the world, second only to oil. The coffee bean provides a livelihood for over 20 million people worldwide with an estimated worldwide retail sales expected to grow by a compounded rate of 6. 9% from 2005-2010, reaching $48. 2 billion by 2010, according to The U. S. Market for Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee. [1] The two main species of coffee beans are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is a high-quality coffee typically grown at higher elevations where the optimal climatic conditions necessary to grow this specialty grade of coffee are found. Arabica coffee is traded in two ways: ? On the highly volatile New York â€Å"C† market where the â€Å"C† price is affected by the global supply as it rises and falls. The average â€Å"C† price for a pound of coffee during fiscal 2005 was $1. 04. ? Higher-quality Arabica beans are used in specialty coffee. Specialty coffee represents 10 percent of the total worldwide coffee market. Prices for specialty coffee are higher than the â€Å"C† offers in order to provide better rates payable to producing farmers for quality. [2] According to the National Coffee Association in Volume 2005. 4 of Coffee Trax, as of December 2005, forecasts for the world coffee production for 2005-2006 will be 113. 1 million bags. Production is down 5. 5% over the actual 2004-2005 yields of 119. 8 million bags. Domestic consumption in producing countries in 2005-2006 is forecast to increase to 31. 2 million bags, indicating domestic use should be 9. 9% higher in 2005/06 than in 2004/05. Using the most current data, world coffee consumption for 2003/04 was 96. 5 million bags, up by 1. 8% over 2002/03’s production. â€Å"In 1999 there were 108,000,000 coffee consumers in the United States spending an approximated 9. 2 billion dollars in the retail sector and 8. 7 billion dollars in the foodservice sector every year (SCAA 1999 Market Report). It can be inferred, therefore, that coffee drinkers spend on average $164. 71 per year on coffee. The National Coffee Association found in 2000 that 54% of the adult population of the United States drinks coffee daily (NCA Coffee Drinking Trends Survey, 2000). They also reported that 18. 12% of the coffee drinkers in the United States drink gourmet coffee beverages daily (NCA). In addition to the 54% who drink coffee everyday, 25% of Americans drink coffee occasionally (NCA). The average consumption per capita in the United States is around 4. 4 Kg. Among coffee drinkers (i. e. not per capita) the average consumption in the United States is 3. 1 cups of coffee per day (NCA). Per capita men drink approximately 1. 9 cups per day, whereas women drink an average of 1. 4 cups of coffee a day (NCA). The USDA’s 2005/2006 December estimate for world exportable production is 82.0 million bags which is 10. 2% lower than 2004/05. Total U. S. imports were down 15% for the second to third quarter of 2005. Estimated roastings for the third quarter of 2005 were up to 4. 7 million bags compared to the second quarter but down by 5. 8% for the year-ago quarter. [3] Retail prices were up from $3. 33 to $3. 40 for the average quarterly retail price of a pound of roast-and-ground coffee or 2. 1% after comparing the third-quarter 2005 to the second quarter. Compared to the year-ago quarter, average retail prices were up by 18. 1%, moving to $3. 40 from $2. 88. The average monthly retail price continues to be 20. 8% below its seven-year high of $4. 67 in August 1997. [1] Fair Trade coffee is beginning to affect the economics of the coffee industry. Coffee retailers to help maintain a sustainable supply of coffee are increasingly adopting the Fair Trade movement. Over the years a coffee crisis has developed as supply has greatly exceeded demand. This paradox of continued growth of retail pricing at the expense of the small coffee farmers has driven retailers like Starbucks to create their own methods of providing higher profits to producing farms so that supply can be maintained. Under a Fair Trade agreement producers are guaranteed a fair price consisting of a floor price of $1. 26 per pound and $1. 41 for certified organic coffee. [2] From 2002 to 2004, USAID invested over $57 million on coffee projects in over 18 countries in Latin America, East Africa and Asia in an effort to create sustainable supplies of coffee. Other movements such as Organic and Shade Tree coffee have had similar goals to help with environmental and quality concerns on the producing farms. [4] Coffee consumers are continuing to show a preference for premium coffees. While most brands have declined in sales during the past year, premium coffees have managed growth, according to data from Information Resources Inc. , which measures sales through supermarkets; drug stores and mass merchandise outlets. Ground coffees lost 1. 8 percent of sales for a category total of $1. 6 billion, but whole bean coffees were up 2. 2 percent. Starbucks grew in both segments, with a 13. 2 percent increase in ground coffee sales and 6. 4 percent in whole bean sales. [5] Retailers such as Starbucks in the specialty coffees use the highest-quality Arabica. Specialty coffee is a broad category of coffee positioned as the highest quality and/or roasted with the ideal techniques or even coffee from particular plantations. â€Å"Even though the overall U. S. coffee market has been sluggish lately, the specialty component has seen significant growth, with retail dollar sales approaching $9 billion in 2003. The segment’s sales in 2003 represented growth of 6. 7 percent over 2002’s $8. 4 billion. In 2003, coffee cafes – the approximately 11,240 retail locations including seating, such as most Starbuck’s outlets – generated $6. 1 billion in retail sales, or 68. 3 percent of the segment’s total. Coffee bean roasters and retailers – the 1,350 sites with on-premise roasting – accounted for 14 percent of sales with $1. 3 billion. Coffee retailers without seating, also known as kiosks, had sales of $810 million, which represented 9. 0 percent of the total. There were approximately 2,700 coffee kiosks operating in 2003. Mobile retailers (i. e. , carts) accounted for an additional 3. 2 percent of sales, with all other channels responsible for the rest. † [6] Driving Forces in the Coffee Industry Competitive and industry conditions experience change due to the forces that are pressuring industry participants to alter their actions. Competitors, customers, or suppliers are enticed to change their ways. Those with the biggest influence on industry structure and the competitive industry environment are driving forces. The coffee industry has four driving forces that originate in the industrial and competitive environment. A change in who buys the product and how they use it is one of the four driving forces in the coffee industry. Shifts in buyer demographics and the way consumers use the product have altered the competition for this industry. The variation has prompted producers to broaden the product line and try different sales and promotion approaches. Changing societal concerns, attitudes, and lifestyles is the other driving force that ties in with the customer base and usage. Society is changing, with the new generations being a huge influence. Parents, a huge factor in the lifestyle, attitudes, and opinions of their children, drink coffee and are, thus, promoting coffee to the offspring. These young persons are looking for caffeine to keep them going through their increasingly busy days. At age 13, who knew that coffee was needed to add to their ever-so hyper lives? Coffee is established as a drink older people consume. Young people are always aspiring to be older than they are, so coffee is marketed in a different way to the younger generations as specialty coffee and gourmet beverages. Marketing these drinks as â€Å"cool† and â€Å"hip† is also a successful method of attraction. Establishing loyalty early while coffee drinkers are young will ensure a prospective future for this industry. In addition, the use of coffee has changed over the years. Coffee was first marketed as a breakfast drink for the working parent to get a boost of energy for the day. As more women started joining the workforce, the coffee consumption increased. Throughout the years, an increasing amount of people started drinking coffee more frequently throughout the day. Today, it is not uncommon to see a person drinking a gourmet coffee drink at 10:00 p. m. , as well as anytime throughout the day. Whenever you need that caffeine-boosted beverage or just want that coffee bean taste most love, consumers now can look for multiple types of coffee drinks to satisfy the craving. Growing buyer preferences for differentiated products instead of standardized is the driving force that allows the product innovation to take lead in this industry. Due to consumers demand for something different, companies in this industry needed to expand current products to fit customer needs and wants. The success of product innovation of introducing coffee drinks and coffee flavors, made the choices for consumers grow. Consumers wanted more flavor and excitement, instead of the regular or decaffeinated options. During the hot summer months, many coffee lovers wanted the taste of coffee but were not fond of drinking a hot drink. Iced coffee drinks helped to solve that problem. Now, people can drink coffee anytime of the year. Many consumers do not just drink coffee in the morning, like the generations before; meetings, study sessions, hanging out, talking amongst old friends and other events are all done through coffee drinking. Due to the buyer influences, the coffee industry has grown in all directions and continues to see a future with innovation and other driving forces helping it along the way. Lastly, product innovation is a driving force that has allowed the coffee industry to grow. The competitive environment is fierce and product innovation is one of the key driving forces to stay on top of the industry’s market share. Coffee drinks were developed as an anytime coffee drink. Such drinks are Espressos, Cappuccinos, Frappaccinos, Lattes, and Mochas. Whether a consumer likes it hot or cold is no difference now; iced coffee is for those that do not feel like a hot cup. Black, White, Irish, Turkish and Americano are also other types of coffee to choose from. Flavored coffee is a pillar innovation to this product category allowing different consumers’ taste buds to run wild. Chocolate covered coffee beans are another innovation that expands the use of coffee in a nontraditional way, a snack. This industry growth has also allowed companies the opportunity to promote to different consumer markets. Young and old purchasers, people that like hot or cold coffee, and those that like a coffee drink in the morning or evening are all targeted now that the product lines have broadened the scope of the industry. Product innovation has helped consumers’ differentiation issues, along with allowing them to drink it anytime of day they need an extra tasty boost of energy. In order to stay on top of the competitive environment in this industry, a company has to accept the driving forces and make each one positive for the company in the long run. The following driving forces are influencing the coffee industry: change in who buys the product and how they use it; changing societal concerns, attitudes, and lifestyles; growing buyer preferences for differentiated products instead of standardized ones; and product innovation. Each of these driving forces increases the competition in the industry. The increased demand for products, especially the new innovated ones, is an opportunity for profitability as well. Because of the innovation, many people are expecting choices for the long run; the companies that offer the products consumers want will prosper. Competitive Analysis of the Coffee Industry Although there are many substitutes for coffee when it is regarded as nothing more than a liquid to drink, most people would agree that there are relatively few that would be considered viable substitutes to dedicated coffee drinkers. Historically, teas have been the greatest rival substitute for coffee, and just as there are specialty coffees, there are specialty teas as well. The key to coffee substitutes being successful in luring coffee drinkers over to their products is differentiation. While tea alone may be substantially differentiated from coffee, a dedicated coffee drinker will need some sort of hook, or angle, to get them to try something different. Often this angle comes in the form of a doctor telling them to cut back on caffeine or to stay away from coffee altogether. According to About. com the top five coffee substitutes are: 1. )Roastaroma ? a tea â€Å"blend of roasted barley, roasted chicory root, and roasted carob, with spices cinnamon, allspice, and star anise. † 2. )Genmaicha ? a â€Å"green tea with roasted brown rice. † 3. )Teechino ? â€Å"made from roasted carob, roasted barley, and roasted chicory† containing â€Å"figs, almonds, and dates. † 4. )Cafix ? â€Å"a freeze-dried grain drink made from barley and chicory. † This drink is non-acidic and does not contain caffeine. 5. )Pero ? â€Å"made from malted barley, chicory, and rye. † Although coffee substitutes are readily available and reasonably priced, traditional coffee drinkers are usually dedicated to coffee in general, if not one particular brand. Therefore, buyers tend to view substitutes as not adequately comparable alternatives. One of the coffee industry’s greatest attributes is the loyalty of their customers. Buyers of coffee can be broken down into two groups; individuals and businesses. An individual coffee drinker will have little or no real power to influence the industry or a particular seller beyond switching brands. The switching costs of individuals are virtually nothing; therefore they can move between brands whenever they are dissatisfied with quality or price. Business buyers such as restaurant chains, hotel chains, convenience stores, and supermarket chains have considerably more power than an individual buyer. This is simply due to economies of scale where a restaurant chain purchasing several thousand pounds a week will have more influence on a supplier than an individual buying one or two pounds per month. Supermarket chains are in a strong position as well, as they can offer as much or as little shelf space as they want. They can also switch brands on shelf space, virtually without cost, to replace poor selling brands with other brands, which may have a higher sales rate. Therefore buyer power depends upon the quantity bought, as with many industries. The power of buyers may range from weak to strong or even fierce. The threat of new entrants into the coffee industry is somewhat strong. While entrants into large markets may not be many, the entry of small shops in local markets offering specialty coffees has grown rapidly in the last several years. Entrants into the specialty coffee arena have been lured in by rising demand of such coffee and attractive profit margins. While these local shops will not be able to compete with large corporations such as Kraft, Proctor & Gamble, or Starbuck’s on an international basis, they can account for some competition in local, concentrated markets by offering a niche; an alternative to corporate retailers with a less personable and hospitable atmosphere. Retailers such as these tend to do well in more rural areas where major corporations may not wish to enter, or in areas where collegiate or more naturalistic atmospheres prevail. These areas may be less inclined to cater to large corporations. New entrants into the coffee industry are also faced with the obstacle of overcoming name brand loyalties. Although in some small specialty coffee markets a new brand with a unique name or style may do well, in most arenas coffee drinkers are extremely loyal to their brands when they are purchasing for home consumption. These buyers are not likely to switch brands for superficial reasons. The competitive pressure from suppliers is relatively weak in the coffee industry. The individual coffee bean farmers have little control over the price of the coffee they sell. The worldwide market has little fluctuations and any that may occur have little effect on any one particular farm. Recently world coffee supply has been exceeding demand, which has taken even more power away from the suppliers who must compete with growers from around the world. The futures market provides security to firms purchasing beans from governments. By buying these futures contracts the company is promising to buy a certain amount of coffee at a stated price no matter what the overall market price may be at the time. The government selling the contracts is promising to provide the amount of coffee stated to the buyer at the stated price regardless of the current market price. Governments also have a role in determining supply as they can set regulations governing the number of trees that are planted, provide price subsidizing for farmers, and impose tariffs. Furthermore, the price of coffee beans has not been increasing at the same rate as the price of your average cup at a specialty shop, or as fast as inflation. In January of 1996 the price of coffee beans was $1. 02 per pound [7]. Ten years later in January of 2006 the price has only increased to $1. 17 per pound, an increase of 14. 12% [7]. In the same period inflation had risen approximately 25. 3% [8]. Rivalry in the coffee industry among competing sellers is vigorous. Although the overall market for coffee grew fast in the late 1990’s, especially regarding the specialty coffee markets, it has leveled off some in the last few years and the overall demand is growing slowly. Another reason for the high level of competitiveness within the industry is due to the relatively low differentiation ability of coffee. While specialty coffees derive some level of differentiation from region of growth or roasting methods, the overall product is fairly standardized. This leads to increase jockeying for position among existing firms, as they cannot lure customers in with a variety of unique products. Some firms however are attempting to lure customers in with new products such as Folgers’ Home Cafe system, which is a one-cup pressure-brewing system. These devices use â€Å"pods,† or individually packaged coffee for single serve applications. Other companies have also been marketing individually packaged coffee so that consumers can make a â€Å"perfect cup† every time. The switching costs of buyers are also very low, if not non-existent. Buyers only have to purchase a different brand in order to switch. While some businesses may have to replace equipment if they switch brands, a business of large purchasing capacity will likely have equipment provided for them by their coffee bean supplier. The recent surge in specialty coffee brands has increased rivalry among existing firms. As companies such as Starbuck’s have grown and acquired market share, companies such as Kraft, Proctor & Gamble, and Nestle have had to increase advertising and create new specialty coffees of their own in order to compete. â€Å"Sales of specialty coffee were $10 Billion in October of 2005 and expected to rise at a rate of 7% annually, while sales of traditional brands have been falling. † [9] Over the past two years Maxwell House has seen a decline of $75 Million in supermarket sales alone. † [9] Furthermore, companies like Starbuck’s have been acquiring smaller companies and thereby growing in market share and sales. This has been done to such an extent to make them comparable to big firms such as Kraft and Proctor & Gamble who compete in various markets with multiple products. This has increased rivalry among these firms as they struggle to maintain their market share. Key Success Factors in the Coffee Industry Coffee drinkers are becoming interested in the type of coffee they drink, people who want specialty chocolates and wines want specialty coffee. Specialty coffee is label â€Å"gourmet† or â€Å"premium† coffee. The specialty coffee bean comes form rare locations and is 100% from that origin; that means no mixing with another bean. People want to know the beans country of origin and if the bean is a blend or a single-origin. Coffee originates from a variety of places like South America, Africa, Middle and Far East, and Jamaica. The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) said people want specialty coffee because of its superior coffee, â€Å"People want things to taste good and clean and no longer want cheap coffee. † The SCAA reported that 15% of American adults drink specialty coffee an increase from 6% points over 2000. According to Mintel International Group, saw producers who specialize in coffee rise, Procter and Gamble’s Millstone premium brand increased 37. 5% and Starbucks rose 23% between 2001 and 2003 (Chater, 2005). Along with specialty coffee is flavored coffee, which is increasing popular. Flavored coffee ranges from Cherry Vanilla with Pecans and Cashews, Orange Cappuccino, or even Hazelnut. The SCAA claims flavor coffee will continue to grow in the total market share. The Motley Fool Stock exchange reported that the 7-Eleven saw 5% of sales come from coffee products like the Slurpee with flavors Cherry Creme and Vanilla Nut. The Black Mountain Gold Coffee (BMG) offers its flavor coffee through Amazon. com and it is their number one flavor; Cinnamon Crumb Cake-flavor coffee became so popular that Albertsons in Texas included the brand inside the store (Friedman, 2004). The United States is the largest base of coffee drinkers and the second largest importer of coffee (Packed Facts, 2003). Therefore, it is evident that coffee is popular drink. Coffee is sold in airplanes, office buildings, hotel rooms, train terminals, schools, and grocery stores. Some grocery stores even offer coffee to drink while shopping. It is good having these locations offer coffee because it stimulates more coffee being drunk and later more purchases. It is also a good way to get non-coffee drinkers to try coffee and turn them into coffee drinkers. Coffee is sold in most stores, and even on the Internet. Having coffee sold in a variety of places ensures the consumers have easy access to purchase the product. Locations benefit by selling coffee because usually when coffee is being bought customers have a tendency to buy other products such as, milk, cream, sugar, or a mug. Numerous studies are indicting coffee can offer health benefits. It would be beneficial for the coffee industry to further these studies and use as a selling tool. The coffee bean is a plant base food, therefore offers rich antioxidants more so than broccoli and blueberries. These antioxidants can help prevent cancers, Parkinson disease, gallstones, and used for an antidepressant. Other nutrients inside coffee like potassium, niacin, magnesium, and chlorogenic acids can possibility help reduce diabetes (McAuliffe, 2005). Cautious coffee drinkers are concerned with how coffee effects the environment and farmers. Sun-grown coffee, uses fertilizers and pesticides, and contributes to deforestation; shade-grown is grown beneath a canopy of trees while preserving the forest. Organic coffee has increased 54% in 2005 through Nov 6, while non-organic coffee increased 8. 5%. Coffee drinkers want to be reassured that producers of coffee are treated fairly. Are farmers compensated fairly, no abuse, or child labor? Companies should be very weary of this issue because, if the source of coffee is not on good terms, if the farms are not healthy or unhappy employees than it could affect the industry in a negative way. Starbucks is a perfect example showing support to farmers by offering decent wages, and ways to help protect their asset (farms). Starbucks as teamed with the Fair Trade Certified Coffee by offering â€Å"Coffee of the Week† to bring awareness for the Fair Trade Certified Coffee. Other companies should take notice of the Fair Trade Certified Coffee, the Fair Trade Certified Coffee ensures farmers are properly compensated, health care, and economic stability of farms (Gimbl, 2005 & Chater, 2005). Overall Industry Attractiveness In order to decide if the coffee industry presents an attractive opportunity for earning good profits, it is important to base a conclusion on several factors. By drawing upon previous analysis of the intensity of competition, whether the impacts of the driving forces are positive or negative, the market positions of industry members as shown on the strategic group map, and also close examination of the industry’s key success factors an educated answer can be deduced. First, by examining the market size and growth potential the coffee industry presents a livelihood for over 20 million people worldwide with an estimated worldwide retail sales expected to grow by a compounded rate of 6. 9% from 2005-2010, reaching $48. 2 billion by 2010, according to The U. S. Market for Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee [1]. Competitive forces in the industry point to growth through the development of product innovation and specializing in gourmet coffee and specialty drinks. â€Å"Sales of specialty coffee were $10 Billion in October of 2005 and expected to rise at a rate of 7% annually, while sales of traditional brands have been falling. † [9] This has increased rivalry among these firms as they struggle to maintain their market share. Competitive forces are conducive to rising industry profitability as long as companies continue to offer product innovation and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the driving forces in the industry Degree of risk and uncertainty in industry’s future encompasses many issues. Coffee drinkers are many and are seemingly very loyal to their drink. Proof being that recently the coffee supply has been exceeding its demand, which has taken even more power away from the suppliers who must compete with growers from around the world. In addition several tentative studies show positive health benefits to coffee drinkers. With a trend in the United States to be more health conscious, the coffee industry has opportunity to capitalize on these finds. In contrast when examining the severity of problems facing the industry it is evident that although demand is growing the trend is that it is steadying off. Due to little differentiation and small increase in the price of coffee since 1996, companies have been forced to focus on increased product differentiation in areas such as specialty coffees; however, that too is steadying off in growth over the past couple of years. Possible strategic issues include customers increasingly loyal to certain brands, which possibly make it more difficult for smaller coffee companies to edge into large consumer base. Also coffee companies need to consider the growing demand of consumers in the ethical treatment of coffee workers and focus their attention to a coffee drinker who looks to drink it for its benefits and special offering in taste. Ultimately when drawing conclusions about the attractiveness of an industry, the perspective is important. It depends on the scope and breadth of a particular company. The attractiveness of the opportunities an industry presents depends heavily on whether a company has the resources and the competitive capabilities to secure them. A standard judgment of if an industry is profitable is if the industry’s overall profit prospects are above average, the industry environment is basically attractive; if industry profit prospects are below average, conditions are unattractive (Strickland III et al, 2004). However this analysis of the industry shows that the coffee industry has a strong future and to the right players offers an attractive business opportunity. Works Cited [1] 6 Mar. 2006 . [2] â€Å"Starbucks. † Starbucks, Inc.. 3 Mar. 2006 . [3] 1 Mar. 2006 . [4] 2 Mar. 2006 . [5] http://www. stagnito. com/fbr_beverage. asp [6] â€Å"Slow Roast†, John G. Rodwan Jr. NPN, National Petroleum News. Chicago: Mar 2005. Vol 97, Iss. 3; pg. 14, 1 pgs. [7] http://www. econstats. com/fut/xnyb_ew2. htm [8] Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www. bls. gov/cpi/cpi_dr. htm; Table Containing History of CPI-U U. S. All Items Indexes and Annual Percent Changes From 1913 to Present. [9] Coffee Drinkers and Their Habit, Business Week Online October 10, 2005 Marketing/Online Extra http://www.businessweek. com/magazine/content/05_41/b3954201. htm 12 Mar. 2006 Packaged Facts. â€Å"The U. S. Market for Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee, 4th Edition. † (Nov 1, 2003). Packaged facts. 8 Feb 2006. < http://www. packagedfacts. com/pub/895867. html> Chater, Amanda. â€Å"SPECIALPERKS; THE BUZZ ABOUT SPECIALTY COFFEE IS ENLIVENING SALES IN AN OTHERWISE DECLINING CATEGORY. † (coffee markets). † Supermarket News (Dec 19, 2005): 41. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Middle Tennessee State University. 2 Feb 2006 http://find. galegroup. com/itx/infomark. do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=ITOF&docId=A140760166&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=tel_middleten&version=1. 0. McAuliffe, Kathleen. â€Å"Enjoy!. † U. S. News &World Report 139. 23 (Dec 19, 2005):67-68. InfoTrac Online. Thomson Gale. Middle Tennessee State University. 2 Feb 2006 http://find. galegroup. com/itx/infomark. do? &contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodid=ITOF&docId=A139695515&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=tel_middleten&version=1. 0 Friedman, Susan. â€Å"Beyond cream & sugar: savvy Retailers recognize the value of flavored coffee. † Tea & Coffee Trade Journal 176. 3 (March 2004): 30(3). InfoTrac One File. Thomson Gale. Middle Tennessee State University. 2 Feb 2006 http://find. galegroup. com/itx/infomark. do? &contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID+T002&prodId=ITOF&docId=A114819506&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=tel_middleten&verson=1. 0 Introducing Starbucks Cafe Estima Blend(TM). Fair Trade Certified(TM) Coffe. Business Wire. LOAD DATE: Oct 10, 2005. 23 Feb 20006. http://www. businesswire. com/cnn/sbux. shtml Strickland III, A. J. , Arthur A. Thompson Jr. , and John E. Gamble . Strategy Core Concepts, Analytical Tools, Readings. 2nd ed. Boston: Mc-Graw-Hill Irwin, 2004.

Taking a Look at Identity Theft - 705 Words

â€Å"Identity Theft† is a term that frequently arises, however, countless times, most do not associate theft with technology based upon the internet. Identity theft rings have targeted consumer users, via online banking systems and different forms of social media to gather enough information on individual users to steal identities. These theft rings are rampant and widespread. Capturing and punishing these kind of criminals is time consuming and difficult at best. Unfortunately, even if you are not a frequent user of computers you are still vulnerable to having your identity stolen over the internet. Each of us has to equip ourselves to the best of our ability to prevent such theft from happening to us. What is identity theft? Federal laws define identity theft as â€Å"knowingly transferring, processing, or using, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abeit, or in connection with, any unlawful activit y that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law† (18 U.S.C. 1028(a)(7) 2012). As of 2011, statistics have shown that identity theft had increased by 13%, with more than 11.6 million adults having their identity stolen, even though the dollar amounts stolen have remained consistent. Cyber-criminals have many weapons in their arsenal from phishing to malware to hacking. Let’s take phishing for an example a concept of fooling a person intoShow MoreRelatedTechnology and Identity Theft1176 Words   |  5 Pagesinternet. Identity theft has been on the rise in the united states for multiple reason, but one of the biggest reasons identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the united states is the advancements in technology. Although many people believe that identity theft did not increase because of technology, I think it has increased and become more popular of all the crimes because technology has made it easier for the crime to be accomplished and harder to track. Identity theft has been aroundRead MoreIdentity Theft and Possible Risk in Technology1713 Words   |  7 PagesIdentity Theft and Possible Risk in Technology Identity theft has been a major issue of privacy and fraud. In the data breach analysis from the Identity Theft Resource Center (2013), the number of data breaches from the year 2005 to 2012 increased. In 2012, there had been 49% where the data breach exposed people Social Security Number. The data breach of 2012 has a rate of 27.4% caused by hackers. These breaches were commonly from 36.4% businesses and 34.7% health and medical (Identity Theft ResourceRead MoreIdentity Theft Paper903 Words   |  4 PagesIdentity Theft and Cards There is many of the America nation that says their identity can’t get stolen, but it can. There is even ways for your identity to be stolen with your credit cards now. Anyone can be the next victim of identity theft. That is why in this research I will tell you how you get identity theft and how to prevent identity theft, because most Americans never know it is happening. Americans need to allow themselves to come to know the cautions of identity theft. There areRead MoreDefinition of White Collar Crime Essay1160 Words   |  5 Pagesthese categories and the modern definitions of white collar crime is identity theft. II. What is Identity Theft? Identity theft has been around for many years, and is a method of stealing another person’s identity. The person who steals the identity then pretends to be the person whose identity they have just stolen. This is done to get the persons credit card information, their resources, and their benefits. The victim of the theft can have everything in their life taken from them, and it is notRead MoreThe Role Of Online Health Records855 Words   |  4 PagesIdentity Theft â€Å"Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it.† - The Incredibles Technology in today’s world is forever changing providing individual’s with freedoms they were not able to take advantage of prior to advancements. This can offer many advantages to the average American. The use of online health records is a prime example. Many hospitals are providing online access to a patient’s medical records to provide faster results and quicker response time. Those who receiveRead MoreEssay about Identity Theft in America1215 Words   |  5 Pagesillustrates how in our world, a person’s identity can be easily changed. Many Americans are effected by this problem today. Citizens, criminals, and the government all play a role in this process. However, many disagree as to whether identity theft should be allowed in our country. Based on the history of identity theft and relationships between American citizens, the government, and this issue, identity theft should be abolished in America. The history of identity theft began around the 1950’s, priorRead MoreResearch Images Taken From Mobile1015 Words   |  5 PagesFigure 5.2: Clinical images taken from mobile (â€Å"Clinical images and the use of personal mobile devices’, n.d.). 6. Identity Theft Identity theft is an act of stealing and using another person’s identity in an unauthorized way and has become one of the most significant problems throughout the world today (Reynolds, 2015, Glossary). Nowadays, websites and Social media has become the best medium to share and upload the personal photos. This is good because the photo will remain on these platformsRead MoreCyber Crime And The Internet1326 Words   |  6 Pagesactually committing those crimes or targeting someone in an attempt to commit a crime. Examples include hacking, copyright infringement, the distribution of child pornography, fraud, and financial theft. But the most violent area of cyber-crime that is focused on in this paper is internet fraud and identity theft. The Problem: A central advantage the Internet offers is that it creates the possibility for individuals to find one another, to congregate in online communities and to share ideas. But withRead MoreThe Importance of Cyber Security1093 Words   |  4 PagesInternet is a growing source for communication. With so many people online, many have figured out ways to steal from others. Whether it be their Identity, money, or self a-steam, many are ripped of their belongings through the internet. Email and instant messaging are an easy way to not only communicate but send along important Information to one another. The newest and one of the most used, is social media websites, or a website that a profile is created and one can share pictures, thoughts, andRead MoreA Brief Note On Public And Private Information1539 Words   |  7 Pagestake advantage of this accessibility to information in a negative way, with public information being as accessible as it is it makes it a lot easier for people to steal ot hers information. For example identity thieves can steal people’s information they find online and gain access to their identity, because a lot of people’s information is online and accessible to everyone. This poses the question, should public information and public records be accessible to the public, and if so what should this